Book-rest attachment for school and other desks



(ModeL) J.DUT,T 0N.

BOOK REST ATTAGHMBNT FOR SOHOOL AND OTHER DESKS. No. 254,940. Patented Mar. 14,1882.

, 1.7V VEJV' TOR M udttorney N, PETERS. Pnommm m her. Washington. n.c.

W ESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH DUTTON, OF NORWAY, MAINE.

BOOK-REST ATTACHMENT FOR SCHOOL AND OTHER DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,940, dated March 14, 1882, Application filed June 30, 1881. (Model) To all whom "at may concern Be it known that I, JOSIAH DUTTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norway, in the county of Oxford and State ofivlaine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Book Rests or Supports, of which the following is a specification, when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof, in'.\vhich Figure 1 is an end view, and Fig. 2 isasidc elevation.

My invention relates to improvements in book-rests; and it consists of a restsupported on arms pivoted to the ends of the desk or table, which is capable of being retained at any desired angle by means of a slot and thumbscrew, and at any desired height by means of a pawl-and-ratchet device on the lower ends of the supporting-arms.

It consists,further, of certain details of construction, hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the desk, table, or other article, which may be of any desired construction. I

In constructing new desks for the attachment of my improved rest I provide a recess, B, at its upper end, to receive the cross-bar or rest G of the upper end of the arms 0; but when applied to old desks or tables it will rest on the top thereof. O O are arms, pivoted at c to the ends of the desk or table, and having their lower ends enlarged, as shown at D, into disks orplates,the edges of which are notched or provided with ratchet'teeth (I, to receive the pawl for holding the upper ends of the arms at any desired height.

The pawl is pivoted to the end of the desk or table, as ate, and is held in engagement with the notches on the disk D by a strap spring, f, which is also pivoted to the end of the desk or table.

The pawl E and springf are both supported or prevented from dropping out of position by the pins g 9.

For ordinary school purposes only one of the arms need to be provided with the pawl andratchet device; but in countinghouses and other places where large books are to be supported both the arms may be provided with the pawl-and-ratchet device to insure greater strength and rigidity. A cross-piece, G, connects the upper ends of the arms, the enlarged edges h of the ends of the arms being turned in to receive and support the cross-bar G.

H and H are supplemental bars pivoted to the upper end of the bars 0 at i, and are connected together by the cross or upper rest or support, I. The barH is enlarged at its lower end and provided with a slot, 70, through which a set or thumb screw, K, passes, and by which means the upper support, I, can be adjusted and held at any desired angle. The supportI is provided with a slot, L, which serves as a hand-hold to lift the device and hold the same until it is secured in the proper position.

M is a shelf or support hinged to the lower edge of the support I, for supporting books, slates, or other articles, and when not in use can be folded up on the cross-bar or supportI, the rubber cushions or plugs m m serving as guards to prevent the parts from beinginjured, and also to prevent noise and disturbance in the folding of the parts.

n n are elastic cords or metallic bands which serve to hold the book open at the desired place by simply placing the open book underneath the same.

It will be observed that when a broad surface is desired to support large books,&c.,the shelf M can be folded up 9n the cross-piece I and the bars H H adjusted so as to be on a line with the bars 0. This will give a supporting-surface of the dimensions of the combined areas of the bars or supports G and I.

It will be also observed that I can adjust the device so as to bring the book orother article to any desired height or angle and to suit the vision of far and near sighted persons.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A book rest or support consisting of arms 0 and H and H, the rest or cross-piece G, combined with the rest I, and mechanism for adjusting it, as described, to and from the plane of the rest or cross-bar G, as set forth.

2. The rest G, in combination with the rest I, provided with the hinged shelf M, and provided with adjusting devices substantially the sides of a desk or table, and mechanism such as described, whereby the rest I may be set at any desired angle and converted into a large or small book-support at will, as set forth. 3. The combination, in a book-rest, of the arms 0, provided with the notched disks, the pawl E, arm H, slotted as described, and the thumb-nut K, whereby the rest may be adjusted at any desired height or angle, as set forth.

4. A book-rest attached to the rear ends of arms which are pivoted at their front ends to for adjusting the book-rest, substantially as described, to raise the rest above the surface of the desk or table and lower it onto or into a recess in the rear part of the table or desk, as set forth.

J OSIAH D UTTON.

Witnesses:

HIRAM KNOWLTON,

WILLIAM J. KNOWLTON. 

